Pulaski County Bankruptcy Record Search

Pulaski County bankruptcy records are managed by the federal courts. The Middle District of Georgia Bankruptcy Court handles all filings from this central Georgia county. Hawkinsville serves as the county seat, but the courthouse there does not deal with bankruptcy cases. You can search Pulaski County bankruptcy records online through PACER, by phone with the free McVCIS line, or in person at the Macon clerk office. Macon is the closest staffed court location. Records are public and available electronically at all hours.

Federal Court Serving Pulaski County

The Middle District of Georgia Bankruptcy Court has jurisdiction over Pulaski County. It covers 69 counties in the central and southwest regions. The main office is at the Thomas Jefferson Federal Building, 433 Cherry Street, Macon, GA 31201. Phone: 478-752-3506. Macon is roughly 45 miles from Hawkinsville, making it the nearest staffed location for Pulaski County residents.

The Columbus office at One Arsenal Place, 901 Front Avenue, Columbus, GA 31902 is also staffed. Phone: 706-649-7837. Only the Macon and Columbus offices operate on a regular daily basis. Other Middle District hearing locations in Albany, Athens, Thomasville, and Valdosta are staffed only during scheduled hearings. All Pulaski County filings go through Macon by mail.

Chief Judge Austin E. Carter presides. Kyle George is the Clerk. The court info page has more details on operating hours and procedures.

Searching Pulaski County Bankruptcy Records

PACER is the fastest way to access Pulaski County bankruptcy records. Register for free. Search by debtor name or case number. You get docket sheets, case documents, and status updates. The fee is $0.10 per page, capped at $3.00 for single documents of 30 pages or fewer. Available every day, all day.

Use the PACER Case Locator when you want to search all federal courts at once. Someone in Pulaski County might have filed before moving here from another district. The case locator returns results from every court in the country.

McVCIS is free by phone. Call 1-866-222-8029. Select the Middle District of Georgia. The system gives you the debtor name, case number, chapter type, filing date, judge, trustee, and current status. No fee whatsoever. It runs 24 hours a day.

Pulaski County Bankruptcy Fees

PACER charges $0.10 per page. Public terminals at the Macon office are free to use. Printing at those terminals costs $0.10 per page.

Mail and in-person copies run $0.50 per page. Certified copies cost $12.00 extra per document. Without a case number, a records search is $34.00. Submit Form B1320 with a money order or certified check payable to "Clerk, U.S. Bankruptcy Court." All fees apply to Pulaski County bankruptcy cases across the Middle District.

Note: McVCIS is always free for basic case data over the phone.

Pulaski County Exemptions in Bankruptcy

Georgia opts out of the federal bankruptcy exemptions. Pulaski County residents must use state rules under O.C.G.A. 44-13-100. Home equity is protected up to $21,500 for individuals. Married couples filing jointly may protect $43,000 when the home is titled to one spouse. The motor vehicle exemption is $5,000.

Personal property is exempt up to $5,000 total, with no single item over $300. Jewelry protection caps at $500. Tools of the trade are safe up to $1,500. The wildcard exemption gives you $1,200 to apply to any property. You can add up to $10,000 of unused homestead exemption to that wildcard amount. For Pulaski County renters, this stacking ability makes the wildcard worth far more than its base value.

Social Security, veterans benefits, workers comp (O.C.G.A. 34-9-84), unemployment pay, and alimony or child support are all fully exempt. Retirement accounts are protected with no dollar cap. The 730-day Georgia residency rule applies to anyone wanting to use these state exemptions.

Filing Types in Pulaski County

Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 make up most of the bankruptcy filings in Pulaski County. Chapter 7 is a liquidation process. Non-exempt assets are sold. Qualifying debt is discharged. It takes three to six months in most cases.

Chapter 13 creates a repayment plan lasting three to five years. Pulaski County residents with regular income use it to keep their homes and vehicles while paying back creditors. Chapter 12 applies to family farmers and fishermen, which is relevant in an agricultural county like Pulaski. Chapter 11 covers business reorganizations and is used when a company needs to restructure without closing. Each chapter type has its own designation in the court system.

State Records at the Pulaski County Clerk

The Pulaski County Superior Court Clerk in Hawkinsville handles state court records. Civil suits, criminal filings, property deeds, and liens are all managed through that office. These records are not bankruptcy filings. But they can connect. A property deed in Pulaski County could be linked to a bankruptcy estate. A lien from a state court judgment might show up in the debtor's federal case.

The GSCCCA provides online access to Pulaski County state records including deeds, liens, and other public documents. Use it alongside PACER when you want both state and federal records for a Pulaski County resident.

The Middle District court homepage is shown below, where Pulaski County residents access federal bankruptcy case search tools.

This court site has electronic case lookup, filing forms, and fee details for all Pulaski County bankruptcy matters.

Archived Pulaski County Cases

The Middle District sends closed cases to the National Archives and Records Administration after a number of years. For an archived Pulaski County filing, contact the Macon clerk at 478-752-3506. They provide the accession number, box number, and location code for ordering from NARA. Processing takes a few weeks.

Without a case number, the $34.00 search fee applies. Some older Pulaski County cases are no longer on PACER and are only available through NARA.

Nearby Counties

Pulaski County is in central Georgia, surrounded by other Middle District counties.